Plants ordered today will begin shipping in May of 2024

Comfrey, True (Symphytum officinalis) potted plant, organic

(3 customer reviews)

$8.50$57.00

Family:  Borage (Boraginacea)

Hardy in Zones 3 to 9

Herbaceous perennial native to Europe.  True Comfrey is the original herb as detailed in all the ancient literature. Traditional usage (TWM): used externally to speed healing.  Source of alantoin. Plant prefers full sun and regular garden soil.  Good drainage is helpful (add sand and organic matter to clayey soil) and frequent watering is also helpful.  After the plant reaches the late flowering stage, simply cut it back and lay the leaves back down on the crown.  It will regrow through its own mulch.

Potted plant, Certified Organically Grown

 

Share your thoughts!

5 out of 5 stars

3 reviews

Let us know what you think...

What others are saying

  1. Question

    senea

    I have searched a lot and cannot find anything at all or it’s questionable about properly cleaning the Comfrey roots well enough to dry for making infused oil. I saw a couple British ladies clean them so well that they were all white on YT. I am thinking that there should still be some of the brown skin left on. In most videos I only see a mention to clean them, but no visual to assure me I’m doing it right. Please let me know where to find that as here I am with soaking roots anxiously searching. Seems quite a job but maybe there is a secret how to. I see how you prepare them in Growing Plant Medicine Vol. 1 page 255-256 and I’ll be doing that. I think this applies to many different roots as well. I see one mention to clean it like a carrot, not real helpful as it is a little mucilaginous. Senea

    Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

    Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • One person found this helpful
      Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      Hi Senea, Thanks for your note. In the old days I dug and cleaned all the comfrey for Herb Pharm’s comfrey tincture and for “Herbal Ed’s Salve.” We would put the dirty roots on a table screen, spray them off thoroughly with a garden hose, cut them apart wherever there were dirt-filled interstices and spray again. Then we would pick up each piece and individually spray it off to make sure there was no dirt clinging on. Certainly NOT removing the epidermis which is full of active constituents! Then we would slice them finely, less so if bound for tincturing, when we would then blend with the alcohol and set to macerate. If bound for oil extraction, we would slice them finer, allow to drain, then spread out on screens in the dryer. I don’t think a short period of soaking them is a problem, but it isn’t really part of the process. richo

      Upvote if this was helpful (1) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

  2. Question

    Rafael

    Will this plant be available for purchase soon.

    Has it been sold out for 2022?

    Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

    Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      hi rafael, we did start a bunch of these and will re-enable soon. inside tip, the true comfrey root cuttings are a slightly better deal and are definitely larger stock at the moment. richo

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

  3. Carrie Robertson

    Beautiful and thriving

    Carrie Robertson (verified owner)

    Grows so quickly it’s amazing (even in this Texas heat). Lovely flowers. Only had for a couple months and already cut back and it’s growing back great. Very pleased.

    Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

    Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

  4. Question

    Casey (verified owner)

    I have read conflicting information on when to harvest leaves. I want to harvest when the leaf is most potent and for making my healing salve. I would think you would harvest before it flowers, and some are saying yes, do that, but some are saying it doesn’t matter when you harvest the leaves. Will the leaves still be as effective if I’ve got flowers?

    Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

    Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • One person found this helpful
      Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      Hi Casey, Comfrey leaf is usually harvested just prior to flowering. If the plant is flowering, use the leaves that are not attached to the flowering stalk. If you want to increase yield of perfect leaves, cut the plant back to the crown and use the new growth after it sizes up, which takes only a couple of weeks. Richo

      Upvote if this was helpful (1) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • One person found this helpful

      John Wheeler

      It’s a question of usage; for healing salves, Richo is absolutely right, just before flowering is best. For compost or mulch, it doesn’t matter.

      Upvote if this was helpful (1) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

  5. One person found this helpful

    Question

    Kathy Saunders

    I live at 7400 ft, nights are near or just below freezing, days around 60. What soil temp would be best for crowns?
    Going to put them in a raised bed..
    Thanks

    Upvote if this was helpful (1) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

    Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • One person found this helpful
      Richo Cech

      Admin Richo Cech

      Hi Kathy, True Comfrey does best when transplanted in cold soils of early spring or fall. Given your description, I would plant right away. Our soil hasn’t really warmed up yet and the true comfrey is in full flower. We’ll probably have to cut the flowers off of your plants before we ship them! Richo

      Upvote if this was helpful (1) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • Jenn

      DO you find that this reseeds as aggressively as many claim? I was given root years ago that I believe is true comfrey and I have only ever found two seedlings. I also have Bocking 14, which isn’t nearly as robust. If there is one plant to have everywhere, I suppose this is it. However, I also value diversity. Thanks!

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • One person found this helpful
      Richo Cech

      Admin Richo Cech

      I like to avoid aggression whenever possible and welcome comfrey into my gardens, which do contain plenty of it. Thing is, the comfrey never causes me any concern, and when I smash my thumb, I never have far to walk before I can find something starting with C which kills the pain and starts the healing.

      Upvote if this was helpful (1) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • Mary

      Comfrey spreads if you disturb the roots. My experience is that otherwise it will stay in place.

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • Casey (verified owner)

      I want this to spread. How do you suggest I care for it?

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      Best recommendation at this time of year: get 6 of the true comfrey crown cuttings and plant them at a distance. They will eventually spread by dropping their own seed. richo

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • Annie

      Can I still buy Coffey plant from you, and can I plant it on the ground will it still grow?

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      Hi Annie, Yes, the comfrey is easy to start. We are currently offering true comfrey root cuttings as well as potted plants–both are reliable. If you’re in a warm zone, you could get going faster by ordering root cuttings–they are being sent out daily at this time of year. Richo

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • Leslie Degnan

      Hi Richo, This question will make you laugh. (Yes, I am new to comfrey-growing!) I have a few root crowns where one end has tiny tendril-like roots and the other end has coming out of it something large, white, and definitely root-looking. Which end is up? Thanks in advance!

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      hi leslie, it is fun to grow an learn, no reason for embarrassment or concern, the rootlets go down, and the white growth goes up, it will become leaves, that is known as the crown. r

      Upvote if this was helpful (0) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • One person found this helpful

      Leslie Degnan

      Thank you! I’m very excited about getting these going. Planning for the first 3 to make a circle around the pear tree.

      Upvote if this was helpful (1) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

    • 3 out of 3 people found this helpful
      Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      good idea

      Upvote if this was helpful (3) Downvote if this was not helpful (0) Flag for removal

      Something wrong with this post? Thanks for letting us know. If you can point us in the right direction...

×

Login

Register

A link to set a new password will be sent to your email address.

Continue as a Guest

Don't have an account? Sign Up